Integrating Experience, Evidence and Expertise in the Crop Protection Decision Process.

Abstract

Generically, farm-scale crop protection decision making may be characterized as a process beginning with an initial assessment of disease risk followed by the accumulation of evidence related to current risk factors, leading to a risk prediction. What action is then taken depends on the response of the decision owner, taking into account previous experience, advice from trusted sources, alongside policy or legislative constraints on crop protection practice that are intended to mitigate any impacts that may transcend the farm scale. This process has commonalities with decision-making in the strategy of preventive medicine. This article delves into the clinical literature in order to provide a perspective on some recent discussions of shared decision making presented there, discussions that relate to issues also faced in sustainable crop protection.